Sony Mobile has confirmed that the company will no longer release "Premium Standard" smartphones. Sony's plan to release smartphones with more affordable prices and almost-flagship specifications might not have worked out, as, devices like the Xperia X and Xperia X Compact didn't reach intended sales targets.
The Japanese OEM confirmed the news at its 2017 Investor Day. The company will now solely focus on flagship and mid-range models. The Premium Standard phones were a huge flop and reached only 31 percent of the unit sales target outside of Japan. Those models didn't reach the target in Japan as well, as the company sold only 85 percent of units. It's worth mentioning that Sony's premium devices had a bit better results. The Xperia X Performance and Xperia XZ reached the target in Japan and achieved 60 percent of global target. Those numbers are not great but show that customers crave the flagship devices more. The results show that 2016 wasn't a good year for Sony as sales went far below expectations.
To recover market share Sony will focus on selling models like the Xperia XZ Premium and Xperia XZs as well as Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra. It will also only focus on markets where it can leverage its brand strength. This includes territories such as Japan, East Asia, Pacific countries, the Middle East and Europe. Finally, the company plans to do well in the U.S. and Canada, but that requires a lot of marketing and money. It's unclear whether Sony plans to tackle Samsung, LG or Apple, but the company promised to deliver differentiated smartphones.
The decision to abandon the Premium Standard phones might be a wake-up call to Sony's mobile division. Perhaps focusing on flagship devices will bring back the "Xperia Z-days" glory to this Japanese OEM.
Does Sony make a good decision? Share your thought in the comments.
Source: Xperia Blog
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